visual

for the gift of vision
and for the pleasure of the visual
i am thankful
to the Creator.

for the beauty he made
in landscape
and flowers
and starlit nights
and peacocks and hummingbirds
and ducks and robins
and cats and stags. . .
and of the human form
i am thankful.

for the beauty-making ability
that he gave mankind--
for shapely sports cars
and tractors and the big machines,
for architecture
and carefully crafted furniture
and calligraphy and photography
and textile art and wall art
i am thankful.

for the pleasure of vision
and enjoyment of colors
and visual textures
and line and curve
i am thankful.

but the dark side of the visual,
the "lust of the eyes",
God warns of of this
and of coveting.
wanting beauty not intended for us,
heart desires that lead us to evil. ..
to lie,
to steal,
to adultery,
to dishonor our parents,
and worst, to desire
something more than the Most Satisfying.
oh, Father, do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.